BEFORE WOMEN HAD WINGS

US, 1997, 88 minutes, Colour.
Oprah Winfrey, Ellen Barkin, Tina Majorino, Julia Styles, John Savage, Burt Young, William Lee Scott.
Directed by Lloyd Kramer.

Before Women Had Wings is based on the novel by Connie May Fowler who wrote the screenplay. The film is set in the 60s, focusing on a family who could be dismissed in those days as trailer trash. John Savage portrays the drinking and wife-beating husband who kills himself. Ellen Barkin is excellent as the widow trying to bring up her two children, abused by her husband yet loving him, continuing the abuse, especially the physical beatings as she tries to cope with her daughters. The daughters are also well portrayed by Tina Majorino as the younger daughter, telling the story (who appeared in such films at this time as When a Man Loves a Woman, Andre, Waterworld) and Julia Styles (Wide Awake) who was soon to emerge as a star with Ten Things I Hate About You, Save the Last Dance and Business of Strangers.

The film was produced by Oprah Winfrey who appears as the enigmatic Miss Zora. She gives a very sympathetic performance. Direction is by Lloyd Kramer who directed a number of telemovies for Oprah Winfrey's company including Amy and Isabel.

The film shows, in the 1990s style, the harsh life of trailer families, the heritage of alcohol and physical abuse, its repercussions for children and those who are punished, acting out the violence that they have experienced on others.

1. The impact of the film? As endorsed by Oprah Winfrey, for audiences of her shows? The upbeat ending? However, the hard themes of family and physical abuse?

2. The South, Florida, the 1960s? The small towns and their isolation, squalor, poverty? The motels, trailer life? The musical score?

3. The title, women as victims of men's abuse, women and their assertion of rights, dignity? The transition in the United States from the 60s to the 21st century?

4. Billy Jackson, his beating his wife, drinking, going off angry? His love for her, her reconciling with him despite her bruises? His attitude towards his children? Her threats, the clashes, his shooting himself? The consequences, their having to move, the daughters and their puzzlement over their father's leaving them by killing himself? The way they spoke about it, handled it emotionally?

5. Ellen Barkin as Glory Marie Jackson? Age, experience, the story of her marriage to Billy, the hard life, his work, drinking, physical abuse? Trying to manage the household? Shopping, the need for money? Her attitude towards her daughters, love for Bird, Phoebe and the adolescent antagonism? Her anger, Billy going off, returning, her accepting him back? His killing himself, the consequences? The family moving, going to the motel, her friendship with Mr Ippolito and his kindness? His son and the friendship with Phoebe? Glory Marie and her working in the motel, trying to make ends meet? Bird and her going to school, her reading, Phoebe and her interest in boys, wanting to dress up - and the possible repetition of her mother's life? Glory Marie and her violent reactions, hitting her children, acting out her experiences from her husband? Harshness, judgmental? Miss Zora and her prejudices, suspicions? Bird disobeying her and getting a beating? Phoebe and the clash, especially with her dressing up and going out? The collapse? Miss Zora and the Thanksgiving celebration, the presents, Glory Marie's anger? Her final breakdown? Miss Zora and the support, her sorrow at how she treated her children, feeling that they should go away? Farewelling them, hoping to see them in the future? Would she?

6. The enigmatic Miss Zora, in the trailer, at the motel? Her garden? Her manner, dress? Bird's friendship, Bird going over to see her, their discussions, the Christmas cards, the vegetables? Wanting to invite her to dinner? Miss Zora and the story of her own daughter disowning her, her being a widow, lending the money, helping Mr Ippolito, living at the motel? The bonds with Bird, the confrontations with Glory Marie? The humiliations, her bearing them? Her decision to go to reconcile with her own daughter? Her agreeing to take the children? A future and Zora helping the children to adjust, would she return them to their mother?

7. Phoebe, teenage, her clashes with her mother, wanting to go out, her memories of her father? Being brutalised by her mother? The boyfriend? The clashes, helping Bird? A future for her?

8. Hank, the absent brother, his arrival after his father's death, his job, wanting to go to college? Helping when he could? Bird wanting him to stay? His return, his dismay at what he saw, his moving away?

9. Mr Ippolito, kindness, the motel, Miss Zora helping him? His son and going out with Phoebe?

10. Bird's perspective, her voice-over, the commentary on the action, motivations? Her age, her name, Miss Zora showing her the reality of the bird she was named after, an affirmation of her life? Her father, her mother, moving, school, her curiosity, friendship with Miss Zora, relationship with Phoebe, the ups and downs? Her being battered by her mother? The issue of Miss Zora, her mother's breakdown, letting her go, her going off with Miss Zora?

11. The film's view of American families, poverty, brutality - but, signs of hope?